


Festive

by LiraelClayr007



Series: 31 Days of Ficmas - 2019!! [2]
Category: Doctor Who (2005)
Genre: Dimension-Hopping Rose, F/M, Fluff, tinged with sadness
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-02
Updated: 2019-12-02
Packaged: 2021-02-26 02:55:04
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 586
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21646363
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LiraelClayr007/pseuds/LiraelClayr007
Summary: “Is it Christmas?” she asks, reaching out to pluck a piece of silvery tinsel from his hair. It’s draped liberally over his shoulders and head. “It seems awfully sunny and warm for December.”In which Rose runs into the Doctor, but not quite the Doctor she's looking for.
Relationships: Eighth Doctor/Rose Tyler
Series: 31 Days of Ficmas - 2019!! [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1559875
Comments: 12
Kudos: 79
Collections: 31 Days of Ficmas 2019





	Festive

**Author's Note:**

  * For [gingerteaandsympathy](https://archiveofourown.org/users/gingerteaandsympathy/gifts).



> for my fellow eight/rose enthusiast 💙

“Hey, watch where you’re going!”

Rose holds herself on the calm edge of panic, light on the balls of her feet, thinking the dimension-hopper jumped her into traffic again. But when she looks around she sees a man walking--or, more accurately, being walked by--three large dogs pushing through a crowd of pedestrians on the crowded city sidewalk she’s standing on. The pedestrians who have to jump out of the way don’t look pleased.

It feels like summer; the sun glints off the towering skyscrapers all around and although the breeze is cool there’s an underlying humidity that feels almost oppressive. And people are wearing shorts and tank tops, sunglasses and baseball caps. It’s a beautiful day.

_This looks like Chicago_ , Rose thinks. She’s never been here before, but she’s seen pictures. She automatically scans the area for clues, and sees a newspaper box for The Chicago Tribune plus two teenage girls wearing Chicago Cubs jerseys. Good enough.

She can feel the TARDIS nearby, a low, pleasant hum in the back of her mind. But there’s something slightly off about it--not wrong, exactly, just different. And when the Doctor bursts out of a nearby doorway and knocks her off her feet, she understands.

“Oh! Sorry, sorry. My mind’s not what it used to be. Or what it will be. Runs all over the place on its own and leaves my feet to their own devices.” He scrambles to his feet, offering her his hand so she can stand as well. 

He’s young, this Doctor, curly-haired and wide-eyed. That’s why the TARDIS feels strange. She’s young too. Neither of them have ever experienced the Time War.

“I’m alright,” Rose says with a smile. “This sidewalk isn’t so bad.”

Once they’re both steady she gets a better look at him. She grins. Same Doctor…

“Is it Christmas?” she asks, reaching out to pluck a piece of silvery tinsel from his hair. It’s draped liberally over his shoulders and head. “It seems awfully sunny and warm for December.”

The Doctor wets his finger in his mouth, holds it up as if testing the wind, then tests the very tip with his tongue. “No, not Christmas. June 23rd. Why do you ask?”

Rose motions at the tinsel, biting the inside of her cheek to keep from laughing.

“Ah! Well. It was Christmas...yesterday. Or earlier. Something. I’m a bit, ah, muddled. But I did enjoy the tinsel, so I left it hanging about.”

“It’s a nice look,” Rose says. “Festive.”

“Thank you! Sometimes people don’t appreciate my, ah, oddities. It’s very nice to meet you…” He trails off, then looks puzzled. “What did you say your name was again?”

She bites back a giggle. “I didn’t yet. It’s Rose.”

An odd look flashes across his face, but it’s gone before she can decipher it. He takes her hand and brushes his lips across the back of her knuckles. A shiver runs through her. “It’s very nice to meet you, Rose. I’m the Doctor. Maybe we’ll meet again one day.” His voice is husky. Then his whole demeanor changes, all bright and sunny and perpetual motion. “I’ve got to run now, something’s happening, somewhere that’s not here, and I’ve got to be there!”

This time she can’t help but laugh.

He takes off running down the street, muttering something about shoes, looking back once or twice to wave at her.

As she waves goodbye, a sad smile settles on her lips. She whispers, “We’ll meet again, Doctor. I promise.”

**Author's Note:**

> 31 Days of Ficmas || Day 2 - Tinsel


End file.
